Apparatus for pneumatically drawing off green malt batch or agglomeration from germinating boxes



[fn/@fra Wm, de, am a W4@ iled Feb. 20, 1957 ROT BATCH OR AGGLgMERATION FROM GERMINATING BOXES APPARATUS FOR PNEUMATI Nov. 1s, 1958 United States Patent 2,360,927 n v APPARATUSy FOR PNEUMATICALLY DRAWING OFF GREEN MALT BATCH. R AGKyLOMERA` TION FROM GERMINATING BOXES Augusty Rotllhaeusler, Kulmbach, Bavaria, Germany, as-

signor to Erste Kulmbacher Actien-Exportbier-Brauerei, Kulmbach, Bavaria, Germany Application February 20, 1957, serial No. 641,3zs Claims priority, application Germany October 17, 1956 11 Claims. (ci. 3er-so) This invention relates to apparatus for drawingk oli green malt from germinating boxes.

Present-day malting procedures employing pneumatic malt processes are carried out mostly in germinating columns which generally, due to a germinating time of throughout eight days,v are known and carried out in a corresponding number of germinating boxes independently fermented in straight vessels, with a box malting vessel having a kiln door with cross slots.

In this the material during a malting period is turned over at least once a day. For this purpose each germinating box is preferably supplied with its own electrical driven turning mechanism extending the width of the box and movable thereover ontrucks by means of a cog-wheel drivenntrack.

After each completion of the malting period of a germinating box, this is drawn o to malte room for -the charging of the malt kiln, aged andl germinated green malt for renewed charging with fresh steeped malt, This takes place as a rule preferably by pneumatic means in which a suction nozzle is manually placed in the green malt and constantly during the drawing on" also manually fed during the decrease of the batch. This requires a considerable manual expenditure of time and effort which as a daily effort assumes many hours of expensive manual labor.

It is therefore an object of the present invention t0,

provide mechanical means as a reduction in labor and at the same time provide a more efficient operation. The invention contemplates an apparatus or device for pneumatically drawing off the green malt batch in a germinating box by mechanical means without the necessityof manual labor.

It is thus an object ofthe invention, to provide means in the form of an electric motor to operate thespiral `conveycrs andk to mount such motor on a shield or hood and also.v to provide switching means likewise mountedA on the shield to control theoperation of the conveyor means.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of U-shaped struts connected to the upright struts and to the shield to maintain the latter in position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a cross strut also of U-shape and connected to the side U- shaped struts to additionally brace the shield for rigid support. p

Further, an object of the invention is to provide a rubber elastic strip on the bottom edge of the shield to provide a contact element with the bottom of the box. The shield has a lower straight portion rising perpendicularly and merging into a curved surface which latter contacts and is secured to the upright struts which are connected to the means for actuating the apparatus.

Further objects will be apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing.

A preferred example of the apparatus according to the invention is illustrated in the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal front elevation of the apparatus,

I 2,860,927 Patented N ov. 18, v1958 Figure 2 is a cross section through tl're'middle-of` the apparatus taken on line 2-2 in the direction ofthe arrows, and 4 Figure 3 is an end elevation of the apparatus. I

'The suction chamber shield or shell is designated by the numeral 1'. This shield 1 is supported' and carried from the side trailing or hauling bracesvor struts 4 with their arm bracketA 17 atA right anglesl thereto at the approximate lower third therefrom and isl strengthened by means loffa U-shaped support 18 provided in the bracket withv its back set on one side of the shield. At the upperends there are providedeyeletsor lugsl 16 which cooperate with similar lugs of the machine truck` and yto be con-` nectedvto the chassis ofthe machine-truck by means oa4 draw pin or bolt 14l passingY through the lugs orfeyelets to form hinge couplings. r

At' the `lower third, the two braces serve as bearing holders-'for the shaft 6 of a conveying screw parallel 'to' the bottomy of the box (slit bottom). The vscrew-like spirals or coils 7'and- 8 are arrangedl counter to each other from the shield flank to the middle and each with' the same pitch.l The spiral conveyors'7 and 8 will move or s hove the operating material which constitutes the green malt from thel sidesy to the middle of the shield somewhat above-the bottom of the box.l A soft rubber or elastic strip 2 is` provided adjacentthe coils 7 y and 8Y and a trailing outlet 9V is provided at the mid-point, Figure 1, which may be connected to a suctiony system (pneumatic suction apparatus).

Thus by means on the bottom ends ofthe struts 4 inthe form ofsmall wheels 15 which contact and roll on the bottom of the box, there is achieved thefres'ultthat the conveying spirals v7 andr 8 will'be maintained va small distance from the bottom of the box."` This willen'sfure; the lr`esult"that a thin layer `of green malt Awill remainl under the conveying spirals 6,7 and 8 in the regioriuof,l the suction chamber so that 'the kiln floor slot in the bottom' of the box will be tightly covered but will be taken along in a pliant manner at the front to the bottom flexible Arubber strip 2 ofthe lower edge of the shield 1.

In this way there will be providedV that a possible excessive suction will be'avoided in the air-conditioned chamber in which the apparatus isnused. y

In accordancewith the present inventionv it is possible' to construct the shield 1 in such a way that ithas a pleasing and efficient curvature to vthe upper edge il and it can be constructed without difficulties. y

'The operation of-the spiral conveyors byy the vertical spindle or'chain andgear drive isy accomplished' inV 'a most economical manner since the gr'een'rnalt willy be moved with the greatest ease alongthe spiral surfaces ofthe "conveyor guided by the curvature of the shield.l

I n the back position the suction chamber will be heldv` closedfbyy the green malt material. Iii order to provide for the suction air to carryfaway, by 'suction at outlet 9, the greenmalt directed by the spiral'conveyors 6, 7 and` 8, itis evident that the' shape ofthe suction chamber is so designed`to feed green malt in suflicient quantity.

The structure as shown includes a motor 10 mounted on the outer back surface of the shield 1 by means of its U-shaped carrier 18 which holds the shield in rigid position and by means of a chain with gears, the motor drives the spiral conveyor. A suitable switch kbox 11 is also secured on the outer surface of the shield and immediately adjacent the motor 10. Also aps or valves 19 may be provided between the lower tiange of the-strengthening rib 18 and the soft rubber strip 2, in order to permit the conveying chamber to be easily cleaned and oiled if necessary.

A particularly important advantage is attained by the new apparatus according to the inventionin that is not expensive or time consuming to transport the apparatus from one malt box (Saladinkasten-Wanderhaufen) to another in a brewery plant where the apparatus can be connected by means of two eyelets and counter slots 16 to be secured by means of the pins 14 in a very quick method. By the expression (Saladinkasten-Wander haufen) it is explained that it refers to known Saladin boxes which are the germinating boxes in which thegreen malt is subject to the malting process during the germinat ing period of approximately 8 days, wherein it is turned over repeatedly (about once a day) by a reversing device. With the Saladinkasten-Wanderhaufen (Saladin box migration heap) the technological principle is changed in such manner compared to the known Saladin method that the green malt is treated according to the Saladin method, but is conveyed after certain intervals of time from one box to another box (migration heap).

It is not necessary to reconstruct present installations to apply the present invention thereto. All present brewery plants are provided with means to couple the elements 14 and to connect an electric line tothe switch 11 for the electric motor 10 to drive the spiral conveyors 7 and 8. Heretofore such manual means which may have been used are not comparable with the present structure since they did not include a suction device for the green malt as well as other elements which are illustrated on the drawing. The present invention provides for a fully mechanical operation to remove the green malt by pneumatic means and which is most efficiently accomplished.

I claim as my invention:

1. Apparatus for pneumatically drawing olf green malt out of germinating boxes and adapted to be pulled over the entire width of the box comprising a pair of struts having means to removably connect the `struts to a traction member, a shield connected to the struts to form an elongated suction chamber and having a lower edge adapted to contact the bottom of the box, said shield having an upper edge adjacent the struts, a shaft having bearing surfaces in the struts and extending longitudinally in the elongated suction chamber parallel to the bottom and longitudinal axis of the box, a pair of spiral conveyors arranged on the shaft to rotate therewith and each having a helical surface extending and terminating at the approximate mid-point of the shaft with the direction of the conveyor flights extending toward each other at the center of the longitudinal shaft, and a suction outlet tube connected to the shield and communicating with the suction chamber at the mid-point of the chamber adjacent the inner ends of the spiral conveyors and at the terminals of the conveyor ights therebetween.

2. Apparatus according to claim l, in which the bottom edge of the shield is provided with a soft rubber strip to contact the bottom of the box.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the means to removably connect the struts to the traction member comprises eyelets and removable pins.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which a bracket is provided for each strut connected to the strut and to the shield to brace the shield.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which a bracket is provided for each strut connected to the strut and to 4 the shield to brace the shield, and in which a cross strut is provided connected to the first-mentioned struts and being U-shaped in cross section, said cross strut rendering the shield rigid.

6. Apparatus according to claim l, in which the spiral conveyors are arranged in the struts so that they are close to the bottom of the box.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which each strut is provided with a rolled to contact the bottom of the box.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which means are provided in the form of an electric drive connected to drive the shaft and conveyors, and in which means are provided mounted on the Youter surface of the shield to support the drive.

9. Apparatus according to claim l, in which means are provided in the form of an electric drive connected to drive the shaft and conveyors, and in which means are provided mounted on the outer surface of the shield to support the drive, said electric drive including an electric motor and transmission means to the shaft and in which a cover member is provided to protect the transmission means.

10. Apparatus for pneumatically drawing olf green malt out of germinating boxes and adapted to be pulled over the entire width of the box comprising a pair of struts having means to removably connect the struts to a traction member, a shield connected to the struts to form a suction chamber and having a lower edge adapted to contact the bottom of the box, said shield having an upper edge adjacent the struts, a shaft having bearing surfaces in the struts and extending longitudinally along the suction chamber parallel to the bottom of the box, a pair of spiral conveyors arranged on the shaft to rotate therewith and each having helical surface flights extending and terminating at the approximate midpoint of the shaft with the helical flights directed toward each other, and outlet means at the midpoint of the shaft and between the two helical ights.

ll. Apparatus for pneumatically drawing olf green malt out of germinating boxes and adapted to be pulled overthe entire width of the box comprising a pair of struts having means to removably connect the struts to a traction member, a shield connected to the struts to form a suction chamber and having a lower edge adapted to contact the bottom of the box, said shield having an upper edge adjacent the struts, a shaft having bearing surfaces in the struts and extending longitudinally along the suction chamber parallel to the bottom of the box, a spiral conveyor arranged on the shaft to rotate therewith and having a helical surface, and an outlet tube.

connected to the shield adjacent the end of the spiral conveyor and communicating with the suction chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

